CYBER police in East China’s Shandong Province imposed a fine of 1,000 yuan (US$146) against three people who forged death threats on Chinese social media platforms, which startled embassies and even China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The suspect, a woman surnamed Lu, faked a “death threat” from believers of Satanism she received when she was staying in Germany, and posted it online Feb. 11, 2018. She also forwarded the threat to a Sina Weibo account run by a Beijinig-based company with millions of fans and it widely spread the information on Weibo, the Yantai police said Tuesday.

The account also passed on the information to other popular accounts owned by the company, and caused a bad influence online, police said.

The case then drew the attention of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League (CYLC), who contacted the Chinese embassy and consulates in Germany and advised the user to call the embassy and consulates for help.

The CYLC later said on Weibo the Chinese embassy in Germany never received such calls for help.

The netizen later claimed the embassy had ignored her.

The threat was eventually proved false, and the user apologized on Weibo the next day, according to screen grabs circulated online.

The company, who ran the popular Weibo accounts, was also fined 9,000 yuan, Yantai cyber police said Monday.(Global Times)